Universal bracket attachment system and method of use

ABSTRACT

A fishing caddy system which generally includes a rod holder assembly having at least one rod holder which may be rotatable to different angles to suit the user. There are hooks in the rod holder assembly for receiving the fishing line and thereby preventing the wind from blowing the line around, resulting in faster detection of catches. The rod holder assembly can be mounted to a universal mounting receiver which can be placed on any stationary body. Cup holders and other accessories may also be mounted in proximity to the rod holder assembly using other universal mounting receivers. An accelerometer may also be included which detects vibrations caused by the fishing line against the hook, alerting the user via LEDs or a wireless alert sent to the user&#39;s wireless computing device, such as a smart phone.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/582,259 filed Apr. 28, 2017, which claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/421,818, filed on Nov. 14, 2016, and which was also a continuation-in-part of and claims priority in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/808,931, filed Jul. 24, 2015, which claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/028,626, filed on Jul. 24, 2014, and also claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/065,549, filed Oct. 17, 2014, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a fishing caddy, and particularly to a unique caddy with adjustable features for accommodating various species and fishing environments.

2. Description of the Related Art

Currently a person going fishing has to pack a number of items, including a folding chair, hooks, rods, rod holders, and flashlights or head lamps. The fisherman would have to carry all of this gear to and from the fishing site, as well as set the gear up on the site once they have reached the site.

Existing rod holders require the holders to be driven into the solid earth, resulting in rods being placed too far from the water and resulting in missed bites. These holders are also non-adjustable and cannot be placed in locations without soil present. Existing rod holders are further subject to missed catches on windy days when it is difficult to tell when a catch is on the line.

Head lamps and flashlights are added costs which can scare fish away when shone directly into the water. Light is necessary when fishing early in the morning, but can be detrimental if the fish are scared away from the source.

Heretofore there has not been available a fishing caddy system and method with the advantages and features of the disclosed subject matter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A fully-integrated fishing caddy system which generally includes a five gallon bucket as a base and a padded lid enclosing the interior of the bucket, the padded lid further serving as a seat for the user. The bucket includes at least one rod holder which can be rotated to different angles to suit the user. There are hooks in the bucket for receiving the fishing line and thereby preventing the wind from blowing the line around, resulting in faster detection of catches. Other features include the ability to place caught fish into the bucket via a chute, cup holders, and drainage spouts.

An alternative embodiment includes a rod holder unit which can be attached to an existing five gallon bucket or the like. The rod holder unit could be screwed into the bucket, using a backing plate placed within the bucket to receive the screws, or the rod holder could be punched through the wall of the bucket with spikes or screws, allowing a quick attachment to the bucket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the invention illustrating various objects and features thereof, wherein like references are generally numbered alike in the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 2 is an assembled, isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional isometric view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional isometric view thereof shown in an alternative orientation where a LED platform is tilted.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view thereof with a diagrammatic view of elements of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view thereof, showing the mounting of a rod holder assembly onto a mounting receiver.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view thereof, showing the rod holder assembly mounted to the mounting receiver.

FIG. 8 is a three-dimensional isometric view of yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT I. Introduction and Environment

As required, detailed aspects of the disclosed subject matter are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as orientated in the view being referred to. The words, “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning.

The present invention is a fishing caddy system with various features and functions for accommodating different fishing conditions, target species and environments. For example and without limitation, the following description provides information concerning embodiments of the invention, which can be adapted and changed as necessary.

Additional examples include computing devices such as a mobile smart device including a display device for viewing a typical web browser or user interface will be commonly referred to throughout the following description. The type of device, computer, display, or user interface may vary when practicing an embodiment of the present invention. A computing device could be represented by a desktop personal computer, a laptop computer, “smart” mobile phones, PDAs, tablets, or other handheld computing devices.

II. Preferred Embodiment Fishing Caddy System 2

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fishing caddy system 2 is a device that allows a fisherman to mount and monitoring his or her poles. The system 2 may include many attachments, such as a rod holder attachment 4 or an accessory attachment 6. These attachments 4, 6 can be affixed to any stationary body 8, such as a standard five gallon bucket as shown, or a tree, crate, cooler, or any other body.

As shown, the rod holder attachment 4 includes a pair of rod holder sleeves 10 angled outward away from the body 8 in which the user can place their rods.

In the middle of the device is a light emitting diode (LED) receiver 16 for an LED light 14 that allows the fisherman to see his or her lines at night and also fishing tackle in low light conditions. Additional lighting, such as a lantern, may also be attached to the body 8 or either of the attachments 4, 6.

A hook 12 is associated with each rod holder 10. These hooks receive the fishing line of a fishing rod connected to a fishing hook, thereby preventing wind from blowing the line around, resulting in missed catches. These hooks are inserted into hook receivers 18 within the rod holder assembly attachment 4.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the rod holder attachment 4 includes a screw-type connector 20 which can be screwed into the body 8 via an opening 22, such as a hole in a tree or a hole in a bucket. If the back end of the screw-type connector 20 is accessible, a locking nut 24 can be screwed onto the screw-type connector 20 to secure the attachment 4 to the body 8. The cup holder attachment 6 as shown uses an alternative attachment which is a slide receiver attachment 26 which is connected to the body 8 using mounting screws 30 or other connecting elements (e.g., nails, bolts, etc.). The slide receiver attachment 26 includes a pair of angled slides 28 which receive a corresponding receiver within a mounting plate 32 of the cup holder attachment 6 which mounts the cup holder 34. It should be pointed out that any accessory or attachment may be attached using this slide receiver attachment 26 which can function as a universal attachment. As discussed below, even a rod holder assembly 104 can be affixed to the body 8 using such a universal mounting device. FIG. 2 shows the attachments 4, 6 affixed to the body 8.

The rod holders 10 may also be individually adjustable for positioning the fishing rods.

III. Alternative Embodiment Fishing Caddy System 102

FIGS. 3-7 show an alternative fishing caddy system 102 which includes rod holder attachment 104 having a mounting interface 130 for interfacing with a universal mounting slide 126 which is functionally similar or identical to the slide receiver attachment 26 of the previous embodiment. A pair of rod holders 110 are mounted, facing out away from the body to which the universal mounting slide 126 is fastened. Alternatively, a single rod holder 110 could be used. The rod holders are preferably made of a transparent or at least translucent material capable of allowing light to pass through or illuminate the holder, thereby acting as light pipes.

As in the previous embodiment, the rod holders 110 correspond with hooks 112 for preventing the fishing line from blowing in the wind and provides fast alert to the user when fish have been caught.

An adjustable platform 116 mounted to the underside of the rod holder attachment 104 includes a pair of upward facing LEDs 114 and a pair of forward facing LEDs 118. The upward facing LEDs 114 are designed to shine through the rod holders 110, and are activated when an accelerometer 148 detects that movement has occurred due to the hooks 112 being tugged on by the line, indicating a catch. The forward facing LEDs 118 can be used to light up the water or surface around the fishing caddy system 102 and can act as a casting guide. Alternatively, the upward facing LEDs 114 could be within the rod holders 110 themselves, which would light up like a lantern if made of a translucent material. Similarly, the forward facing LEDs 118 could be lasers for providing guidelines for where to cast the fishing line.

The accelerometer 148 is part of an intelligence module 140, which also includes a rechargeable battery 142, a processor 144, and a wireless link 146, such as a Bluetooth module. The rechargeable battery 142 may be recharged using a USB interface 120 located on the adjustable platform, and may also be used in reverse to charge portable electronic devices, such as a user's smart phone or other mobile computer 150.

The user's mobile computer 150, which may be a smart phone or other mobile computing device, can wirelessly be alerted by the intelligence module using the wireless link 146 of the intelligence module 140 and a wireless link 152 of the mobile computer. This could be a wireless antenna or Bluetooth receiver module. The mobile computer also at least includes a graphical user interface (GUI) 154 and a processor and data memory 156 for storing software. Software could be incorporated into the computer memory for recording information about fish caught using the fishing caddy system 102, such as type of fish caught, size and weight of the fish, number of fish, and other notes or user inputs. This could all be incorporated into a specific software application associated with the fishing caddy or a simple text file openable by the mobile computer 150. The mobile computer can also be used to alert the user when a fish has been hooked by movement of the fishing line causing the accelerometer 148 sending an alert using the wireless link 146 of the intelligence module 140 to the wireless link 152 of the mobile computer 150, resulting in a notification on the GUI 154.

IV. Alternative Embodiment Fishing Caddy System 202

FIG. 8 shows another slightly alternative embodiment fishing caddy system 202. Here, the body 208 may be a bucket or some other stationary body. Universal mounting receivers 226 are mounted to the body 208 via mounting holes 230 using screws, bolts, or other attaching elements. Glue could also be used. The fishing rod holder assembly 204 and cup holder assembly 206, which are identical to those discussed above, are mounted to the mounting receivers 226 using mounting interfaces 232. This allows for a universal attachment system for a fishing caddy system 202.

It is to be understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects. 

Having thus described the disclosed subject matter, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
 1. A universal mounting system comprising: a mounting bracket comprising a backing plate and a pair of side guide rails, each side guide rail comprising a lip extended away from said mounting bracket; said mounting bracket backing plate comprising mounting holes for mounting said backing plate to a body; a mounting interface connected to a back end of an accessory assembly, said mounting interface configured for mounting said accessory assembly to said bracket; said mounting interface further comprising a pair of slides, each slide configured for engaging with one of said pair of side guide rails; and said mounting interface and said mounting bracket configured for removably mounting said accessory to said body.
 2. The universal mounting system of claim 1, wherein said mounting bracket comprises a tapered shape having a shorter width along a top edge and a longer width along a bottom edge.
 3. The universal mounting system of claim 2, further comprising: said pair of slides of said mounting interface comprising a tapered orientation corresponding with said tapered shape of said mounting bracket; and said mounting interface comprises a top edge configured to engage said top edge of said mounting bracket when said pair of slides engage said pair of side guide rails.
 4. The universal mounting system of claim 1, further comprising: said accessory comprising a rod holder assembly having at least one rod holder having a cylindrical shape with a cylindrical hollow interior configured for receiving a handle of a fishing rod; at least one hook affixed to said rod holder assembly in proximity to said at least one rod holder, said hook configured to receive a portion of a fishing line from said fishing rod placed within said at least one rod holder; and said at least one rod holder being oriented such that a fishing hook attached to said fishing line may be cast into the body of water and remain in the water while said fishing rod handle is inserted into said at least one rod holder.
 5. The universal mounting system of claim 4, further comprising: a light emitting diode (LED) lamp receiver configured to receive an LED lamp; and said LED lamp being oriented to provide light towards an area away from a front side of said rod holder assembly.
 6. The system of claim 4, further comprising: an LED housing affixed to said rod holder assembly, said LED housing having at least one LED aimed upwardly and at least one LED aimed forwardly; said at least one LED aimed upwardly configured to alert a user upon indication of a catch on said fishing hook due to a tugging on said fishing line against said at least one hook; and said at least one LED aimed forwardly configured to provide light towards an area away from a front side of said rod holder assembly.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein said LED housing is pivotably mounted to said rod holder assembly such that said LED housing may be tilted.
 8. The system of claim 6, further comprising: a rechargeable battery within said LED housing; a universal serial bus (USB) interface within said LED housing, said USB interface configured to allow said rechargeable battery to receive electrical charge from an exterior source; and said USB interface further configured to allow said rechargeable battery to provide electrical charge to an exterior electrical accessory.
 9. The system of claim 6, further comprising: an intelligence module having an accelerometer and a processor; and said accelerometer configured to activate said at least one LED aimed upwardly upon detection of movement.
 10. The system of claim 6, further comprising: an intelligence module having a processor and a wireless link; said accelerometer configured to activate said processor to send a signal via said wireless link upon detection of movement; said processor configured to send said signal via said wireless link to a wireless computing device, said wireless computing device including a corresponding wireless link, a processor, a graphical user interface (GUI), and data storage memory; and said signal configured to produce an alert via said GUI of said wireless computing device.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein said wireless link comprises a Bluetooth interface.
 12. The system of claim 4, wherein said at least one rod holder is rotatable.
 13. The system of claim 1, where said accessory comprises a cup holder assembly, said cup holder assembly configured to receive a drink container.
 14. A method of mounting an accessory to a body, the method comprising the steps: affixing a mounting bracket to the body, said mounting bracket comprising a backing plate and a pair of side guide rails, each side guide rail comprising a lip extended away from said mounting bracket; and slideably engaging the accessory to said mounting bracket via a mounting interface connected to a back end of the accessory, said mounting interface configured for mounting said accessory assembly to said bracket.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said accessory comprises a rod holder assembly, the method further comprising the steps: wherein said rod holder assembly comprising a pair of rod holders, a pair of hooks each one in proximity to one of said pair of rod holders; and an adjustable LED assembly; wherein said pair of rod holders comprised of translucent material; wherein said adjustable LED assembly including a pair of upwardly oriented LEDs and a pair of forwardly oriented LEDs; aiming each one of said upwardly oriented LEDs at a respective one of said pair of rod holders, such that upon activation of said upwardly oriented LEDs, the corresponding rod holder illuminates; mounting a fishing rod into one of said pair of rod holders; and placing a fishing line through the one of said pair of hooks corresponding with said rod holder receiving said fishing rod.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein said accessory comprises a cup holder.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein said mounting bracket comprises a tapered shape having a shorter width along a top edge and a longer width along a bottom edge.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein: said pair of slides of said mounting interface comprising a tapered orientation corresponding with said tapered shape of said mounting bracket; and said mounting interface comprises a top edge configured to engage said top edge of said mounting bracket when said pair of slides engage said pair of side guide rails. 